Vinod Kambli and Sachin Tendulkar appeared together in an advertisement for a MEGA brand, it’s name is…

In the early 1990s, two Mumbai players were the biggest names in the world of cricket in India. Some would say they were more popular than senior cricketers like Kapil Dev and Ravi Shastri even. We are talking about the famous duo of Vinod Kambli and Sachin Tendulkar.

It’s been more than two decades since, but Kambli and Tendulkar’s legend is still on everybody’s lips. The childhood friends and schoolmates recently reunited at a function to celebrate the birth anniversary of their coach Ramakant Achrekar in Mumbai. A video of Tendulkar meeting Kambli soon went viral on social media.

But Kambli and Tendulkar once ruled over our TV screens as well, turning out for a famous advertisement for the mega brand name Pepsi.

In the early ’90s, Tendulkar and Kambli starred in a memorable Pepsi commercial that became one of the most popular ones from the era. The ad featured the two cricketers playing cricket outdoors, feeling tired and then going inside to grab a bottle of Pepsi.

Both Sachin and Kambli dived for the bottle simultaneously, leading to a playful scuffle. Meanwhile, then Indian captain Mohammed Azharuddin slyly drank the Pepsi himself, leaving the duo stunned. Azharuddin then placed the empty bottle between them, delivering the iconic tagline, ‘Yehi Hai Right Choice Baby, Aha!’

WATCH the 1990s Pepsi ad featuring Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli HERE…

 

This commercial aired on Doordarshan (DD) in the 1990s and remains a nostalgic moment for cricket fans. Tendulkar, who appeared in numerous advertisements during his early career, became a favourite among brands and fans alike. The advertisement was conceived by Mark McDonald, the creative mind behind many successful campaigns of that time.

Both Tendulkar and Kambli were young and rising stars in the 1990s. Tendulkar, who scored a world record 15,921 runs in Tests and 18,426 runs in ODIs in international cricket, endorsed multiple brands throughout his career, including Pepsi (1992–2009), Boost (1990–2017), and MRF (1990–2009). He made his international debut at the age of 16 and enjoyed a remarkable 24-year career.

The tagline ‘Yehi Hai Right Choice Baby, Aha!’ conveyed that Pepsi was the perfect choice to quench thirst. In his 17 Tests, Kambli had averaged a remarkable 54.2 with successive double hundreds against England and Zimbabwe.

Tendulkar, in comparison, only had an average of 39.83 with a top-score of 148 not out at the same stage. But Kambli faded away after that, failing to overcome technical difficulties in his game and falling prey to alcohol addiction.

The 52-year-old former Mumbai southpaw appeared very frail and weak as compared to Tendulkar last week and has been living in poverty – surviving on BCCI pension of Rs 30,000 per month.